Scott Speed
2015 Miami ePrix |champs = 0 |no = 28 |teams = Andretti Autosport |2014 = y |natflag = USA |driver = Scott Speed}} Scott Speed, born 24 January 1983, is an American racing driver, who competed for Andretti Autosport during the 2014/15 FIA Formula E Championship.'Driver's Club: Scott Speed', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 2015), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/drivers-club/scott-speed.aspx, (Accessed 30/04/2015) A former Formula One driver with Scuderia Toro Rosso, Speed made his Formula E bow at the 2015 Miami ePrix, having previously tested for Andretti at the Donington Tests before the season started, but would compete for only four races due to other commitments. Speed would later appear as a commentator during the 2015/16 season for the official Formula E broadcast at the 2016 Long Beach ePrix. Background One of many drivers with a successful childhood in karting, Speed got his first taste of car racing in 2001, before entering the 2002 Barber Formula Dodge Championship later that year. It was during that season that Speed won the chance to become a member of the fledgling Red Bull Young Driver Programme, more specifically winning the Red Bull Driver Search that year for the chance to become the first American racer to enter Formula One since Michael Andretti in 1993. With Red Bull funding, Speed move to Europe, competing in numerous championships from 2003. British Formula Three duties were combined with crowns in the German Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup Championships, before he started in the inaugural GP2 season in 2005. A strong showing by Speed earned him third place overall in the final standings, as well as two appearances for Red Bull Racing in practice session in the US and Canadian Grand Prix.'Scott Speed', wikipedia.rg, (WikiMedia, 02/07/2015), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Speed, (Accessed 07/07/2015) It would also result in Speed writing himself into the motorsport history books. Mission Accomplished Speed found himself on a Formula One grid for the first time at the 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix, having been signed for Red Bull's newly founded junior team, Toro Rosso. A promising start in Bahrain was followed by controversy at the Australian Grand Prix, where it looked as if Speed had claimed his, and Toro Rosso's, first ever F1 points. Yet, Speed was found to have overtaken under yellow flags, dropping him back to ninth, before being hit with a $5,000 fine for swearing at David Coulthard during the stewards inquiry. It would be a pointless debut season for Speed in 2006, and was followed by an even poorer one in 2007. After ten races in 2007, Speed had already retired from seven, a mixture of accidents and mechanical issues, causing Red Bull to look elsewhere. Having already fulfilled his dream of becoming the first American F1 driver since Michael Andretti, Speed and Toro Rosso agreed by mutual consent to end his contract half way through the season. With Sebastien Vettel replacing him in the team, Speed proclaimed that he would never work with Toro Rosso's management again, before moving back to America to compete. The American Way Speed ended to 2007 season in the ARCA Championship, in which he would also compete in 2008. Yet, after four races in ARCA, Speed was sponsored by Red Bull (with whom he remained on good terms), to drive in NASCAR, ultimately competing in 118 races between 2008 and 2013. A career change later followed, with Speed joining Andretti Autosport's effort in the Red Bull Global Rallycross Series. 3rd place overall in 2014 cemented his relationship with Andretti, and saw him test for Formula E, while also competing in the FIA World RallyCross Championship in 2015. Formula E History After getting a first taste of Formula E over the summer of 2014, Speed missed out on a full race seat in the inaugural season with Andretti Autosport, with Charles Pic and Franck Montagny chosen instead. Fate, however, had a decisive role to play, with Speed rejoining the team at the 2015 Miami ePrix, becoming their sixth driver that season.'Scott Speed to race for Andretti in Miami', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 05/03/2015), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2015/march/scott-speed-to-race-for-andretti-in-miami.aspx, (Accessed 30/04/2015) It was an impressive début for Speed, finishing second despite qualifying in eleventh.'Prost powers to first Formula E win', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 14/03/2015) http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2015/march/prost-powers-to-first-formula-e-win.aspx, (Accessed 30/04/2015) Yet, it was not to be Speed's season, despite his initial success, as the American retired from the 2015 Long Beach ePrix after an accident.'Emotional Piquet emulates his father', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 04/04/2015), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2015/april/piquet-cruises-to-victory-in-long-beach.aspx, (Accessed 30/04/2015) After being pushed back from ninth in Monaco, Speed had a difficult weekend in Berlin, simply off the pace in the race.'Di Grassi flies to Tempelhof win', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 23/05/2015), http://fiaformulae.com/en/news/2015/may/di-grassi-wins-in-berlin-to-extend-title-lead.aspx, (Accessed 23/05/2015) Speed was then replaced by Justin Wilson and Simona de Silvestro at the final three ePrix, unable to attend due to other commitments. Full Formula E Record Shown below are a series of tables outlining 's career in Formula E in statistical form. Formula E Entries The list below includes all of the teams and cars, as well as overall finishing positions for during their FE career: Career Results Below is a table showing Scott Speed's full Formula E record. | |12th|13th||||15th|18}} |} References Videos and Images: * References: Category:Drivers Category:American Drivers Category:Andretti Autosport Drivers